


Sky-Scraping Dove

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, F/M, M/M, Vive la Revolution!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-10
Updated: 2013-02-24
Packaged: 2017-11-28 20:07:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/678403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“People clearly haven’t thought about the consequences of making angels their slaves. It’ll all lead to their downfall in the end.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dean never really cared much for that downfall, not until it was his angel that was taken.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dreams Are Like Angels

**Author's Note:**

> 'Cause sometimes, dystopian AUs are the best AUs. Then there's mine...

The first time he saw an angel, he was four.

It had been five years since the Bill had passed, and angels were still being hunted down and captured. Dean didn't know why they were being hunted, or what happened to them afterwards, all he knew was that the angels were being hurt. He also knew that angels were beautiful, and the first one he had ever seen had long red hair and wings that resembled burning flames, fanned out wide behind her and poised dangerously at the people who were trying to control her. Dean didn't know what had happened next, but his mother had placed one hand across his eyes and used the other to press him close to her, trying to block out the angel's screams as the soldiers accomplished their task.

"Don't look, okay sweetie?" his mother breathed out, her voice full of pain and concern. "Don't look."

It was the tone of her voice that made Dean want to look. He managed to peek out between his mother's fingers at the angel before he was hurried away; the sight before him was the angel getting pinned to the ground, her wings forcibly held open and a large knife being held up in the air. The angel made eye contact with him, freezing Dean to the spot.

Her shining, desperate eyes still haunted him to this day.

-x-

The second time he saw an angel, he was eight years old and babysitting his brother.

The tenth anniversary of the Bill was around the corner, but so was the anniversary of his mother's death. It didn't take a genius to figure out which one Dean was more concerned about. He had been suffering from nightmares, seeing visions of that angel but seeing his mother's face instead, desperate and broken as the knife slowly descended. Dean would always wake up, screaming for her before he could save her in his dreams. Tonight was no different, and unfortunately it also woke his brother up who had been running a high fever too. His dad and Bobby had left for some secret business meeting, leaving him to look after Sam on his own. It didn't bother him much, but seeing Sammy look as desperate for help as that angel did left Dean feeling sick with worry. He had left messages on both his dad's and Bobby's phones, alerting them to Sam's state. Neither had called back yet and Dean was starting to feel helpless.

Swallowing hard, Dean stared at Sammy and did something he never thought he'd do before. He stared praying. For something. For someone. For anyone to help him. For his dad to call back. For Bobby to call back.

For help from anybody who was willing to listen to him.

He didn't know what to do or how to help his brother and it was the worst feeling in the world. He felt like such a failure of a brother, being capable of doing nothing but watch as his baby brother coughed and hacked and cried through his fever. They had no medicine in the motel and Dean didn't dare leave Sam on his own to get some.

He didn't know what to do. His mom would, she always knew what to do, but she had died a few years ago and god, she would be so disappointed in him and—

"Well, never have I met someone so melodramatic before in all my life. And that's including myself," a voice suddenly piped up. "Believe me when I say that that's saying something!"

Dean blinked up at person who had appeared in the room. The person was smiling softly and had honey-coloured eyes that narrowed with concern when Sam started hacking and wheezing in his bed. The man carefully approached Sam's side, his movements slow and cautious. Dean watched, frozen with a mixture of dread and honest curiosity. All of his dad's lessons about strangers and danger went out of the window; there was something about the man that put him on edge, sure...but something else made Dean trust him. Either way, he still knew where his dad's sawed-off shotgun was if he needed it. The man glanced over his shoulder, a steady hand reaching out to touch Sam's forehead.

"Hey kiddo, want me to help your brother out?" the man asked, "he doesn't sound so good."

Dean swallowed hard. At first he wondered how this guy could help Sam out and how the hell he managed to get into the room, but then his eyes caught the large six wings, fluttering softly against the man's back. They were huge and looked awkward to manoeuvre in such a small space. They gleamed in the dull light though, shades of bronze and gold sparkling slightly...and they hadn't been clipped. With a dry mouth, Dean rasped a hasty "sure", his gaze returning to the man's hand. A small smile quirked at the man's lips, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You can look, but don't touch, 'kay?" he stated, before glancing back down at Sam. Dean flushed at having been caught gawking at the man's wings, before nodding sheepishly.

This was also the first time that Sam laid eyes on an angel. The only thing registering in his hazy mind was the warm hand on his head and the pretty wings that floated above his head. Then everything went black.

"There we are! He'll be fine once he wakes up; be as bright as sunshine, I promise," the man said, his hand brushing through Sam's hair. Dean nodded firmly.

"He better," he said, folding his arms and aiming a fierce glare at the angel. "If he gets any worse—"

"Then you have my full permission to clip my wings," the man cut in swiftly with a grin. "Provided you can catch me first," he added with a wink.

Dean simply rolled his eyes and approached Sam quietly. He pressed a hand to Sam's head, inspecting the angel's work. He blinked when he realised that Sam's temperature had drastically decreased, almost being normal once again. He checked Sam's pulse, furrowing his brow when he felt a steady beat, where it had been pounding furiously mere minutes ago.

"What the hell did you do?" he said, the words coming out harsher than he intended.

"Ah, ah, ah! Language!" the man -or rather, the angel- admonished, clicking his fingers to produce a lollipop from thin-air. "And I made him better, like I promised."

Dean watched the lollipop suspiciously. "You're an angel," he stated plainly.

"Archangel," the man corrected. "We're better and more attractive."

"Your wings aren't clipped," Dean continued, ignoring the man's words. "Angels aren't supposed to have wings that aren't clipped. It makes them dangerous."

"Archangel," the man repeated with a sigh. "And do they look dangerous to you? Have I hurt you or your brother at all tonight?"

"No," Dean said slowly. "But they said that angels—"

"Archangel. And who exactly are 'they'?" the man asked around a mouthful of candy.

"The people on the TV. They said that anyone who finds an angel should contact their local authorities. They said that angels need to be registered and clipped before they hurt someone. They said that angels are wild and dangerous and—" Dean explained, thinking back to everything he had ever heard about angels on TV.

The man sighed and flicked Dean on the head. " _People_ talk too much. You humans talk too much. You don't think enough and that's what makes a person dangerous. Lack of thinking. Anyway, you haven't met an angel; you've met an archangel, how many times do I have to tell you?"

Dean ignored the last bit and furrowed his brows. He moved to sit on Sam's bed, shifting slightly so he could hold Sam's hand and get comfortable. "I thought it was people who thought too much were the dangerous ones; not people who thought too little."

The man snorted and shook his head. "Please, the people who think too much are the people who actually accomplish things in their lives. Like, the guy who invented this stuff," he gestured to his lollipop, "that guy clearly thought long and hard about this invention and look at where it got him!"

Dean furrowed his brows. "A bunch of lollipops?" he asked, confused as to what the man was telling him.

"A _legacy_. And a pretty amazing invention. And bragging rights for at least a fair few centuries," the man replied. "Anyway, the point is that the people who don't think enough are the people who don't make it in life. Hitler, for example, clearly didn't think enough about the consequences of invading Poland. America didn't think about the consequences of electing Bush for the second time in a row. These people clearly haven't thought about the consequences of making angels their slaves. It'll all lead to their downfall in the end."

Dean nodded slowly, digesting the information that the man was feeding him.

"So...angels aren't all that bad then," he said, "angels are good and people are bad for hurting them." Dean thought back to the pretty female angel, the image only emphasising the opinion he's always had about the Bill.

"We-ell," the man said, "not _all_ angels are good. Like, not all people are bad. You and your brother for example, you're good people, right?" he asked, gesturing to Sam who carried on sleeping peacefully.

"But, you're a good angel right?" Dean asked.

The man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Archangel, archangel, archangel, how many times do I have to say it?"

Dean just rolled his eyes, carefully stowing away the fact that the man had evaded his question. He glanced over to his brother. This man had healed his brother, he must be good. But Dean wasn't stupid, he knew that some people may appear good, but can be really, very cruel underneath. He hoped this man wasn't one of those people.

"You have to leave soon, don't you?" he said, changing the subject abruptly.

The man nodded, twirling the lollipop around in his mouth. "I'm not too sure how your dad would react to seeing me in your room, so I guess I better skedaddle."

"Wha-You're leaving _now_?" Dean said, wanting the angel -archangel, whatever- to stay just a little while longer.

"I've got to kiddo, I'm breaking a tonne of rules by just being here, you know?" the man said, smirking down at Dean.

"I guess...I wouldn't want you to get clipped or anything. Not after you helped Sammy," Dean muttered. "But you'll come back, right?" he added, hopefully.

The man just shook his head and laughed. "Maybe," he said, before glancing over to Sam. "Can't hold any promises though."

"Alright then," Dean acquiesced, his gaze falling to where his hand held Sam's.

The man's gaze softened. "Hey, don't get sad kiddo," he said, smiling. "I might not be able to come back, but I reckon we will see each other soon. Alright?"

"Good," Dean said. "Sammy deserves to know the angel who healed him."

The man shook his head and stepped back, his wings slowly unfurling behind him. "How many times kiddo? I'm an _archangel_."

"Whatever," Dean retorted, rolling his eyes.

And with a flap of wings, the man was gone. No sign of him ever being there was left behind, except for the faint scent of candy.

-x-

The third time he saw an angel, Dean was fourteen.

He had finally come to understand what his father did for a living; he was a Freedom Fighter and fought for the destruction of the Bill and all that it stood for. His father and Bobby both had systematically freed numerous angels from slavery, and it was something that Dean couldn't wait to be a part of. Remembering the look on the female angel's face, and the man who had healed his brother when he had been sick...they were reinforcements in his mind, keeping him determined and dedicated to his training. He wanted to be a hero like his dad, he wanted to make him proud, and he wanted to be the best damn Freedom Fighter this world has ever seen.

He also wanted to get to know the angel laying on the bed next to him a little better.

Bobby had called the angel a ' _fledgling_ ' saying that he was basically a baby in angelic standards, and that he was to remain under constant supervision. Apparently, his dad and Bobby had taken down an 'angel farm', something that Dean had only thought to be a rumour. They were disgusting, vile places; places that should only exist in nightmares. The farms were the dark underbelly of the world, having been born from the Bill's cruel legislations. So-called scientists would run the farms, buying young angels from the black market and then testing new medicines on them. Prospective fashion designers would visit the farms and would pay for the scientists to pluck every single feather from an angel's wings, so that they could use them for the next coat or necklace they had in mind. Every time Dean would see someone wearing a feathered coat, it would remind him of silky bronze wings that he couldn't touch, and it would make him sick. He wasn't an angel, but he knew that wings were something sacred and private and that you had to have permission to touch them and oh god, why would anyone want to destroy something so... _beautiful_?

The worst thing about the farms, however, was the newest fad that they were selling. Drinks that promised eternal youth and beauty, containing a very special ingredient: Grace. Pure and sacred Grace that would be drained from an angel at the farms, then diluted to make it safe to consume. It made Dean furious. Taking an angel's Grace effectively killed them. A Graceless angel was different to a Fallen angel, and the situation was much worse. An angel who was still good and pure, but had their Grace ripped from them, would be left as nothing more than a vegetable. Dean hoped he would never have to see a Graceless angel.

Glancing over to the angel sleeping next to him, Dean wondered what the scientists had in store for him. The angel was pretty young, with fluffy black wings that shone blue in the light. Some women would probably pay top dollar for a coat made from those feathers, a few men too. Shaking his head, Dean sighed and glanced at the door, wondering when the nurse would come in. The angel had deep bags under his eyes and puckered marks up his arm. Dean wondered if the scientists had been testing something on him. The very thought made him angry and sick. The angel was way too young to be going through shit like this; the angel reminded him of Sam and if anyone even dared hurt his brother, then there would be hell to pay. He wondered if the angel had an older brother to look out for him, the same way Dean looked out for Sam. The thought of the angel being alone in the world made something churn horribly in Dean's stomach.

"If you don't, then I'll do it," he swore under his breath. "I'll be your brother and I'll make sure no one ever hurts you again. You're a Winchester now, and _no one fucks with a Winchester_."

"Tha'k y'u," a raspy voice replied. Dean jumped as bright blue eyes watched him carefully. They were clouded over with sleep and the angel seemed to be struggling to stay awake. Dean shook his head and shrugged.

"No problem," he replied quietly. "Now, get back to sleep. When you wake up, I'll tell you all about this place. Oh, and Sammy, alright? Sammy's my younger brother, you can trust him."

The angel nodded before slowly closing his eyes and falling asleep once more.

-x-

The fourth time Dean saw an angel, he had been sixteen.

Sam was well aware of the world's problems by now, and had taken an interest in the underground movement that Dean was a part of. Dean refused to let him fight just yet, but allowed him to do the research that Dean couldn't be bothered to do. Castiel, the angel that Dean had sworn an oath to, would join Sam in his research, offering any information about angels where he could and humouring Sam in answering any questions that the younger boy may have.

Some were innocent.

"So, you don't have halos?"

"We do, but human perspectives have overly simplified how our halos look."

"Can you fly?"

"When I fully mature, my wingspan should be adequate enough to support me during flight."

And of course, some were not.

"Do angels go through heat?"

"I—a-ah...that is, I...w- _what_?"

Today though, the question Sam had asked was a question that had been bugging him a lot lately. He had wondered whether the question would be considered too invasive or rude, but he figured nothing could beat the 'heat' question. At least, according to Dean anyway.

"Hey Cas?" Sam asked, peering over a book to glance at where the angel sat. Castiel had taken a liking to sitting by the window, basking in the rays of the sun. He reminded Sam of a cat sometimes, a thought that made him smile and Dean snort with amusement.

"Yes Sam," Castiel responded, the nickname prompting an odd warmth in his heart. He had come to associate that feeling with emotions of affection and love, and found that it was always present when around Sam and Dean. It didn't bother him in the slightest.

"Do you...I mean, there are other angels out there, right?" Sam asked slowly.

"Yes Sam, my species is infinite in quantity," Castiel replied. "What of it?"

"I was wondering, do you like, know any other angels? Personally I mean," Sam said, his words coming out slow and hesitant. Castiel glanced over to him, his eyes boring into Sam's.

"I don't understand," Castiel stated, his wings curling in on themselves, which Sam took to mean that he was nervous about the question. Ever since becoming a part of the Winchester family, Castiel had been fully accepted and loved by each member, causing him to come out of the shell that he had formed, and becoming more open and honest about himself. They even managed to get him to talk about his time at the farm, and how the puckered marks came from scientists trying to keep him sedated whilst they tested new medicines on him. However, talk of family always seemed to make him stiffen and clam up.

Sam, being a proverbial sponge of curiosity and knowledge, needed to know why.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters out there? Anyone who had looked after you before...well, you know?" Sam asked, wondering if he had overstepped a mark.

The silence that followed made Sam feel sick with regret and he quickly made to apologise for invading Castiel's privacy. Yet the angel simply smiled sadly and turned away to glance out of the window.

"All angels are considered siblings of one another. Yet, I remember being 'taken care of' by three angels in particular," Castiel's words were slow and enunciated with such tender care that left Sam hanging onto every word. Dean, who had been coming into Sam's room with some lunch that Bobby had prepared, had been halted in his steps by Sam waving a single hand at him, indicating that he ought to be quiet. Furrowing his brows, he carefully placed the tray onto Sam's dresser and went to sit on the bed with his brother.

"What the hell Sammy?" he whispered, glancing over at Castiel with concern.

"He's talking about his family. And it's _Sam_ ," his brother retorted quietly.

Castiel tilted his head as he sifted through his memories. He remembered soft clouds and red wings, he remembered deep laughs and the smell of candy, along with the sensation of being held close and kept warm by large wings that sparkled with deep shades of green and blue, like the sea.

" _Anael_ ," Castiel suddenly said, "but she preferred Anna. She used to sing me songs in Enochian whilst making me a nest with the clouds. She protected me from dangerous birds and would show us all how beautiful humanity could be. Her wings were shades of red and orange. They reminded me of a sunset. I lost her during an ambush whilst we were flying to a new base. I never saw her again."

Dean thought of red wings and desperate eyes. He shifted uncomfortably and harshly swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat.

"There was Balthazar. He took over protecting me when we lost Anna. He tried to teach me how to fly, but my wings were simply too small. He used to laugh at my efforts though and that made me feel warm," Castiel's words were quiet, but not sad. Rather, they were spoken tenderly and with care, like each word was precious to him. "His wings reminded me of the sea. He used to love flying just above it, his wings creating small waves beneath us, getting us both soaked. I missed those times the most whilst at the farm. I used to feel so... _free_."

Sam almost regretted asking Castiel about his family, as an air of sadness took over the room. But then he saw the soft smile on Castiel's face and regretted not asking any sooner.

"Then there was Gabriel. He tried so hard protecting all of us, making sure we were happy and under the human's radar. He never really recovered from losing Anna, and he would run himself ragged from trying to protect Balthazar and I. Then...one day, he wasn't there. One day, he had just left. And the humans found Balthazar and I. They took Balthazar away and they wouldn't let me go with him. I don't know what happened to Balthazar. I don't know what happened to Gabriel. I miss them though. I miss Anna's singing. I miss flying with Balthazar. I miss Gabriel's tricks that he would play on us," Castiel said, then moved to glance over at the frozen Winchesters. "They were my family."

The silence that followed was deafening. Dean swallowed down the sharp pain that his family could never live up to Castiel's other family, his dream family that consisted of singing and flying and freedom. Sam, however, wanted to find those other angels. He needed to know what happened to them, so Castiel could finally have some closure, 'cause it just wasn't fair.

The silence in the room remained, until a sudden snap broke the heavy tension and an amused voice cut through the quiet.

"'We 'were' a family? Oh kiddo, I'm simply heartbroken over here! And here I thought we ' _are_ ' a family!"

Dean's mind broke slightly when he registered that familiar voice. When he saw those six familiar wings and when he saw those smirking lips sucking a lollipop.

That _bastard_.

"G-Gabriel?" Castiel questioned hesitantly.

"The one and only kiddo," the man -now known as Gabriel- replied.

"How can I be sure this is not a trick," Castiel asked, his gaze sweeping over Gabriel's form, wings curling over his shoulders shyly.

"Trust me, I do have some knowledge of socially acceptable times for tricks, and right now is just not the time. Don't you think?" Gabriel stated with a soft smile.

Castiel's wings flared open and fluttered in response, a sign that Sam took to mean happiness.

"How are you here?" Castiel asked incredulously, still not believing what he was seeing. "This is not the first time I have prayed for you and yet—"

"If I had come to you during your time at the farm, I would have been skewered as soon as I set foot in that place. It wouldn't have done either of us very good, so I waited until you were safe. Forgive me for making you wait?" Gabriel asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Of course," Castiel breathed, wings fluttering once more.

"Woah, woah, woah! Happy family reunion aside, you lied to me asshole!" Dean cut in, jumping off the bed and striding up to the angel. _Archangel_. Fucking whatever.

Gabriel snorted and gazed down at Dean condescendingly. "Did I kid, did I really?"

"Yeah! You said we would meet up again soon! Eight years is not soon! I spent my entire ninth birthday _and_ my tenth birthday wishing for you to come back! What the fuck was up with that?" Dean demanded hotly, incensed at the nerve of the angel before him.

"You've met each other before?" Sam asked quickly, before his brother would do something he would clearly regret later.

"Yeah, he healed you when you were sick once and then he promised we would meet again soon," Dean answered him, not taking his eyes away from Gabriel.

"You're the one that healed me?" Sam asked, directing his question to the angel before him.

Gabriel broke eye-contact with Dean to gaze at Sam, his eyes softening slightly. "'Course I did. We were flying over the motel you were in when I heard Dean praying for help. I quickly glanced in and saw you all sick in bed and well, call me sentimental, but you reminded me of Cassie over there. So, I quickly hid Castiel and Balthazar in a place that I had assumed safe, and came to heal you."

"Oh. Thank you," Sam said, beaming up at the angel.

"You are very welcome," Gabriel replied. He glanced over at Dean and then returned his gaze to Sam. "You're my favourite Winchester," he declared. "You're _so_ much nicer than your brother."

"Hey!" Dean exclaimed indignantly, his voice drowned out by Sam's laughter. Gabriel shook his head, before glancing over at his baby brother, who was suddenly gazing at the floor like it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen.

"Cassie? You okay?" Gabriel asked, cocking his head to the side.

"You went to help them?" Castiel asked, looking up slowly. "That's why you left us. I wondered why you would suddenly leave us to get captured and I always thought the worst, like you wanted us to get captured, or that maybe you had gotten tired of looking after us."

"Oh...Cassie, no," Gabriel said, approaching his brother quickly. He reached down to cup Castiel's face gently. " _Never_ think that. Never once have I ever thought that. Got it?"

"Alright," Castiel stated, nodding his head slightly.

"Good. Now, forgive me?" Gabriel asked, almost playfully but he wanted a serious answer.

"Of course. I wouldn't be here with Sam and Dean had you not gone and assisted them," Castiel replied, smiling crookedly at his older brother.

"Thank you," Gabriel replied, before pulling Castiel in for a tight hug. "Honestly, I can't believe you thought I had abandoned you. You really do think too much sometimes."

"I thought thinking too much was a good thing," Dean piped up snidely.

"What, you actually believed that crap?" Gabriel asked with a snort. "Dear Father, humans are gullible!"

"Shut it angel!"

"That's _archangel_ to you!"

-x-

Dean thought that the last time he would ever see an angel, or at least an angel he considered highly important to him, would be today, the day before his twenty-first birthday. When the Freedom Fighter's base would be infiltrated and torn apart by government officials.

His brother was safe at home with Gabriel protecting him. After much grilling from his dad and Bobby combined, Gabriel was finally trusted enough to be allowed access to Bobby's home, provided that he would aide them in their mission. Gabriel didn't really have another option, especially after the pleading eyes he was subjected to, courtesy of Sam and Castiel, so he accepted the terms, so long as he didn't have to sleep on the couch. The pair of them were searching for information on Balthazar, having found out that Anna was the same angel that Dean had witnessed being brutally executed all those years ago.

Gabriel and Castiel grieved for almost a month for her, leaving Bobby's house feeling cold and dead as they mourned. It took the combined efforts of Dean and Sam, as well as ice-cream and Disney movies, to help them move on from their pain. Dean would still catch Castiel staring up at the sky sometimes, but he would give the angel the space he needed, knowing all too well what it was like losing a loved one.

Currently, he and Castiel were been at the base with his dad and Bobby. They had found another farm deep in the Nevada desert and they needed Castiel's knowledge of the establishments to aide them in locating and destroying it.

Unfortunately, before the plan could come to fruition, a sudden explosion had hit the base, knocking everyone off their feet as a cloud of smoke and debris descended upon them. Dean could hear the people in the base panic at having been discovered, with screams and gunshots ringing out through the silence. Dean watched as his dad jumped to his feet, shouting orders at him, telling him to get Castiel out of their sharpish. Bobby handed him a .45 and told him to keep safe. Dean watched as they both left the room, unaware that only one of them would re-enter his life again.

He and Castiel scrambled to their feet before they took off running for the escape route. It led to a complex underground sewage system that would take them out of the city and near to an abandoned garage that contained numerous vehicles suited for hasty escapes. Dean had passed his license a few years back and already had his eyes on the sweet Impala that he knew was in there.

They ran as fast as they could, sprinting down the stairs of their underground base as fast as their legs could go. Dean could hear Cas' pants, his wings beating furiously behind him as he ran. But more than that, Dean could hear gunshots and more explosions and people running and people dying and oh god, keep dad safe, keep Bobby safe, make sure they never find Sam, god Gabriel better be taking good care of his brother and oh god, there goes another explosion.

Swerving around the corner of the lowest level, Dean and Castiel burst through the doors and took off down the long corridor. An explosion behind them made them pick up the pace slightly. Lungs burning and muscles aching, Dean tried hard not to slow down, or look back. Doing so would only make them vulnerable and he couldn't make that an option. He couldn't let them get Castiel. He wouldn't.

A couple more explosions went off directly behind them, sending them crashing down to the floor. When the smoke cleared up, Dean chanced a glance behind them. The walls around them had been destroyed completely and Dean could make out the foggy beams of light coming from the soldier's flashlights. Getting to his feet quickly, he pulled on Castiel's arm and urged him to hurry up. Unfortunately, one of Castiel's wings had been trapped underneath some fallen debris. Cursing under his breath, Dean tried to move the large brick slab currently crushing Castiel's wing. A sharp cry came from him friend when a couple of feathers came loose from his attempts.

"Fuck, sorry Cas," Dean huffed, trying again to move the slab again with more effort.

"It's fine, just...help," Castiel replied, his voice strained and tight.

The angel tried to wiggle his wing free when Dean tried to push the slab off the appendage, but it only served to cause him more pain. Dean went to try another approach, by lifting the slab as far as he could, so Castiel could move his wing with more ease. However, just as Castiel's wing became free, a strong hand grabbed Dean's hair and yanked him back. Blindly, he tried to shoot whoever had a hold of him, but the bullet merely flew past and hit the wall instead. Another hand came and twisted his wrist painfully until he dropped the gun. He watched as two guys roughly grabbed Castiel up from the floor before slamming him against a wall. A sharp cry of pain emitted from Castiel, the sound causing something ugly to curl up in Dean's stomach.

"You fuckers," he growled, stamping hard on the foot of the guy who currently had hold of him, before slamming his elbow back into the guy's gut. Dean sharply shrugged out of the guy's hold and turned to face Castiel, who was struggling fiercely against the two men who had him pinned. Another guy tried to grab at Dean, but he swiftly dodged the grasping hands and swung hard at the soldier's face. A crunch could be heard, before the solider fell back, clutching at his nose. Dean turned back to Castiel's situation and went to help him...

...then something hard and blunt cracked against his head.

The world went out of focus. He only saw Castiel shouting his name, his eyes looking as desperate as Anna's had that one day.

"Cas," Dean croaked, before he crumpled to the floor, a sudden blackness taking over his sight. The last thing he saw was Castiel's eyes, Castiel's wings, Castiel's face which was streaked with tears and hey no, that wasn't right, angels shouldn't cry, Cas shouldn't cry, shouldn't be sad, shouldn't shed tears, Dean made a promise, to his dad, to Bobby, to Gabriel, to Cas, to himself, he needed to...he needed to keep Cas safe...keep Cas happy....k e e p... C a s...f e e l i n g...l o v—


	2. The Chips Are Down

_Castiel was the angel's name._

_Dean knew angels had exotic and unique names, but he didn't expect them to be this different. He also fucked up the pronunciation so many times that he just gave up and started referring to the angel as 'Cas'. The angel didn't mind his new name; instead he just smiled shyly and thanked Dean for his kindness. His words caused a hot flush to prickle at Dean's neck, something that Jo would tease him about every day._

_Sam had yet to meet Castiel, as he was still unaware of the organisation's existence and therefore Dean couldn't take his younger brother to meet his new friend. As such, Dean and Jo would visit Castiel every day, ensuring that he never felt alone and abandoned again. Jo was one of Dean's most trusted friends, and she had been intrigued by the rumours of a young angel resting in the infirmary so Dean took her up to meet Castiel. The angel and the young girl became quick friends, with Jo patiently teaching Castiel about the world around them, whilst allowing Dean to chip in every so often._

_Castiel was the only angel that Dean and Jo were allowed to meet. The other angels that had been rescued were being treated for PTSD, and sight of other humans often sent them into a state of high panic and distress. The doctors didn't want them suffering any more trauma than they already had, so they limited human interaction with the angels by just sending in doctors and the occasional psychologist for routine check-ups._

_Castiel had only been permitted human interaction due to his young age and the fact that he reacted rather positively towards any communication with Dean and Jo. The nurse recommended that further interactions ought to be encouraged and that perhaps it was for the best that Castiel had humans who were equivalent to his young age to keep him company._

_Castiel's health flourished under the care and attention he received, and it wasn't long before he could leave the infirmary. His wounds were fully healed and his mental health having been cleared as healthy, deeming it safe for him to be discharged. The older members of the organisation wondered where such a young angel could go, as most angels they rescue would go on to become members themselves or would go on to live in remote places in the world, gaining the peace they had sought for so long. Castiel was just too young to live on his own and too young to join the organisation just yet._

_Then came the discussion where some members began to offer up their homes to him, willing to look after the angel until he matured. No one in the entire organisation could make such a compelling argument as Dean had that day though. Castiel had become his angel and his friend and he'll be damned if anyone took that away from him. His argument was that Castiel trusted him the most and wouldn't it make sense for the angel to live with the one who made him feel the safest?_

_Of course, there was also the fact that Castiel hadn't met Sam yet and Dean promised him that he would, but no one needed to know that just yet._

_Either way, the members eventually agreed to Dean's logic but it was his dad who had the final say. The real problem of the matter, according to his dad, was how Sam would react to seeing Castiel. The youngest Winchester wasn't ignorant to the world around him and he knew angels existed and that they were practically slaves to humanity. But he didn't know that Freedom Fighters existed, nor did he know that his dad and brother rescued angels on a daily basis._

_Dean knew his brother far better than his dad did though._

_He knew Sam would understand what was happening and that they could trust him with their secret. His dad reluctantly agreed, on the condition that Castiel never left the house and if he did, then he needed someone to accompany him. It was a pretty shit condition in Dean's eyes, but he understood that his dad was just trying to protect them all._

_They had to smuggle Castiel out of the organisation under the cover of darkness, keeping him under a blanket at all times until he was inside Bobby's house. The angel found it highly uncomfortable, and his wings would flap miserably underneath the itchy material. Dean tried to distract him, telling him about the things they could do when they reached the house. He told Castiel about how he could finally meet Sam, and how Bobby had mountains of old books that he could read and that, if he really wanted, he could help Dean mess around with some of the old cars in Bobby's yard. The angel was transfixed by Dean's words, his blue eyes gleaming in the low light of the moon and his lips curling up into a small smile._

_"You'll be safe with us. Promise," Dean stated firmly, his hand burying itself under the blanket to hold Castiel's shoulder tightly._

_"And I'll be free?" the angel asked hopefully._

_"Free as a bird," Dean said, winking cheekily, hiding the guilt inside of him. Castiel would be free, but he wouldn't be as free as he would've liked. Dean knew that the organisation just moved Castiel from one cage to another, albeit this one would prove to be more comfortable. Yet Castiel would never be free, not really and something about that just didn't sit right with him._

_"Dean?" his angel piped up suddenly._

_"Yeah Cas?" Dean replied, glancing down at the blanket they used to smuggle Castiel out. No, nothing about this sat right with him at all._

_"What if Sam doesn't like me?" Castiel said slowly, his words hesitant and shy._

_Bobby snorted from the front seat, glancing over his shoulder with a smile. "Sam likes everybody. Never sees the bad in people that boy, always the good. You'd have to be a right nasty piece of work to get into Sam's bad books," he said with amusement, shaking his head fondly._

_Dean's dad just shook his head. "That's not necessarily a good thing. He's too trusting. It'll get him to trouble one day if he keeps it up," he remarked, pulling into the driveway of Bobby's yard._

_"He can't help it, it's just the way he is," Dean said defensively. Then he rolled his eyes and looked back down at Castiel, pulling the blanket away slowly. Castiel's wings slowly unfurled from underneath the cloth, curling them and fluttering them gently to stretch them out. His face was a picture of content and Dean found that it was an expression he liked seeing on Castiel's face. "Sam will_ love _you," he said decisively. "There's no way he won't."_

_Castiel smiled gently. "Good. That's good," he said._

_"Right kids, let's move out," John said, turning the ignition off and opening his car door up. Dean unclipped his seatbelt and reached over Castiel to open the door on his side. The angel watched cautiously, eyes wide as he slowly slid out of the car and into the outside world. His gaze flickered around him, drinking in all the sights he had never seen before and all the sights he had been kept from for too long._

_Dean jumped out behind him, nudging the door shut and elbowing Castiel gently in the sides. "Well, you like it?" he asked._

_Castiel took his time answering Dean, his gaze stuck on the sky above him. It was a clear night for once, the stars shining brightly alongside the moon. The angel seemed to be transfixed by the sight, his mouth slightly agape as his eyes took in the beautiful night sky. Eventually he turned his gaze to Dean, eyes suspiciously glazed over as he answered his friend._

_"Thank you for taking me in. It's perfect," he replied, his monotonous voice slightly wavering in places. Dean smiled broadly and shrugged._

_"No problem. Now, c'mon! You need to meet Sammy," he said, swinging an arm around Castiel's shoulders as he dragged him towards the house._

_The angel followed dutifully, allowing Dean to pull him into Bobby's home. He didn't know what he was expecting, but what he found far exceeded anything his imagination could conjure up. The first thing to hit him was a sudden rush of warmth, followed by a spicy scent emitting from the kitchen._

_"Sam, what have I told you about cooking whilst alone?" Dean's dad called out, stalking off through the house and towards the kitchen. Bobby just shook his head and ruffled Dean's hair._

_"I'll go get a room set up for Cas," he said, "now you go and get yourself some damn food. Don't think I didn't see you skipping lunch earlier Dean."_

_Dean simply rolled his eyes and sighed with exasperation. "Yes Bobby," he replied, before turning to Castiel with barely restrained excitement. "C'mon, it's time to meet Sammy!"_

_This time he didn't need to pull Castiel along; the angel obediently followed Dean without another word, slowly walking behind him as they made their way through Bobby's house. The sharp smell of spice grew stronger and Castiel watched as Dean licked his lips._

_"Sammy can't cook for shit normally, but there is some stuff he's real good at making. I know angels don't really eat, but you have to now, otherwise you'll upset Sam, got it?" he asked, his teasing tone lost on Castiel._

_"I don't want to upset him," he stated hesitantly. Dean just shook his head._

_"Seriously dude? It's not the end of the world, a little food ain't gonna kill you!" he replied, his easy smile put Castiel at ease and the angel nodded shortly._

_"Okay," he stated as they entered the kitchen._

_To say the kitchen was a mess would be quite the understatement._

_Castiel had never seen a real kitchen before, but he had seen pictures of them and his understanding of them told him that bowls shouldn't really be sticking to the ceiling like that, nor should there be smoke blossoming from the fridge. Stood in the centre of the kitchen was a young boy, flour and other substances coating his face as John Winchester stood before him, wiping a hand down his face roughly._

_"What were you even trying to make?" John asked, his tone a mixture of disapproval and confusion._

_Sam bit his lip and glanced down sheepishly. "It was supposed to be a pie...Dean said he had a surprise for me, so I wanted to get him one too but..."_

_He trailed off quietly, letting the messy kitchen speak for itself._

_The mess wasn't that bad and it could surely be cleaned up, but for some reason John couldn't see it in that way._

_"I told you not to cook on your own, why would you disobey an order like that?" he asked sternly, glaring down at the youngest Winchester._

_"Dad, let it go for once. He was just trying to do a nice thing...although, I have to ask why you were trying to put chili in the pie," Dean said, cocking his head as he prodded a bundle of chili on the kitchen counter._

_"Oh...uh, I ran out of cinnamon and I remembered you saying it was kinda spicy so I tried looking for a substitute and chili was the only thing I could find," Sam replied, scratching his nose with embarrassment. He glanced up at Dean with a smile and shrug, his grin widening when his gaze flickered over to Castiel._

_"Oh yeah, this is Cas! The surprise I was talking about!" Dean said, nudging Castiel towards Sam._

_The angel stiffly moved forwards, eyes fleetingly glancing up at John who had started to clean up the kitchen. The man clearly trusted him to be in the company of his sons which sent a small wave of relief to wash over Castiel's mind._

_He held out a hand like Jo had instructed. "Hello Sam," he stated._

_Sam's smile grew brighter as he awkwardly took the hand and shook. "You don't need to be so formal around here, it's only me. Anyway, nice to meet you Cas. I guess this isn't the best first impression to make," he started, looking over at Dean before his eyes caught onto something else. Two things actually, two black and feathery things attached to Castiel's back. "Y-You...have wings. Dean! You never told me he was an angel!" Sam hissed at his brother, cheeks flushing pink as he narrowed his eyes._

_"Didn't think it was important," Dean lied, shrugging easily._

_Sam just scowled before turning back to Castiel, his frown melting away into a nervous smile. "Um, so...wow. An angel? This is amazing! Oh god...oh! Can I say that? Would it offend you if I said that? I'm sorry if it does!" he said quickly and nervously, making Dean chuckle under his breath._

_Castiel decided there and then that he liked Sam Winchester._

_"It does not offend me exactly...although I would prefer it if you were to use a different exclamation in future," he stated, his wings pressed tight against his body nervously. He really shouldn't be telling Sam what to do, it wasn't his place but...such phrases made him think too much about his Father and that always left him feeling cold inside._

_"No problem," Sam stated brightly. "C'mon, I bet Dean hasn't shown you around the house. He's the lamest host ever!"_

_Dean rolled his eyes and swatted a lazy hand at Sam as he walked past him. "I'll help dad clean up your mess. Again. You should show Cas to his room, whilst we get dinner sorted, alright?"_

_"Yeah, yeah. I know," Sam said, lightly tugging Castiel along by the sleeve. "Let's go!"_

_Castiel glanced over his shoulder back at Dean, biting his lip and looking thoughtful. He paused in the doorway before turning around to face the boy who showed him that not all humans were cruel and evil._

_"Dean...?"_

-x-

When Dean finally came to, he was alone in the hallway.

Debris was scattered everywhere, the walls were still crumbling down and a thick layer of dust lingered around the place. Wincing as he climbed to his feet, Dean rolled his shoulders back and cleared his throat. His body ached and his head throbbed from where he had been hit. Grasping the back of his head, Dean flinched when his hand came back bloody. Shaking his head, he glanced down at the ground where he had dropped his gun and gathered it back up.

Placing it in the back of his jeans, Dean also spied something shining and black on the ground. Steeling himself for the worse, he leant down to pick it up. His stomach bottomed out when he pulled one of Castiel's feathers free. It was black and soft, with blue flecks that made Dean's throat close up.

Those sons of bitches were gonna pay.

Keeping a firm grip on the feather, Dean firmly stalked down the corridor, back towards the stairs he and Castiel had been running down mere hours ago. The feather was light in his hand, his skin crawling as his thumb stroked it softly. He needed to find Castiel, he needed to make sure he was safe and in one piece and not some damn vegetable, or a guinea-pig for scientists and Dean definitely didn't want him plucked of all his feathers. Just losing a couple made Castiel cry out in pain, he really didn't want to think about the agony his angel would go through losing a whole wingful of feathers.

That shit just wasn't right.

He needed to find Castiel. He needed to protect him, just like his dad told him to and crap, he needed to find his dad and Bobby, quick. 

Stumbling up the stairs, Dean ignored the rush of blood in his ears and the tried to repress the images his mind was feeding him. Those bastards took Castiel and god only knows what they could be doing to him.

God. They could be testing some medicine on him right now, injecting him with all sorts of fucked up poisons, just to see what happens.

They could be plucking his feathers out to be made into a dress or some shit. Some bitch wearing his angel's wings to some fancy fucking ball, pretending that no amount of suffering went into the overpriced gown she was wearing and would probably only wear once.

Or _worse_.

The bastards could be hooking his angel to some crazy-ass machine, tubes shoved into his body as they pumped him dry of his Grace and—

Hell no. Dean would not think like that, he couldn't afford to think like that, he needed to concentrate on the situation at hand, just like his dad always trained him to do and holy shit, he needed to find his dad, needed to find Bobby, needed to find Castiel, needed to make sure Sam was safe and sound and that Gabriel was sorta alright too, 'cause he was kinda family now and no one fucked with family, no one.

Slamming the doors open, Dean reached the communications centre with bated breath. It was a complete wreck. Debris and fallen bookshelves covered the floor and everything was coated in a thick layer of dust and smoke. Electrical cables sparked and fizzed as they lay scattered around him; all the machines within the room had been destroyed. Eyes scanning the floors and the walls, Dean cursed bitterly.

There were no bodies in the room.

Which could be a good thing, meaning that maybe his dad and Bobby got away...but it also meant that perhaps things went south and everything was just fucked.

"The fuck do I do now?" Dean questioned himself, biting his lip as he considered just calling out for them. But he didn't want to attract the wrong kind of attention...just in case some bastards were lurking around. As much as Dean wanted to unleash a pound of lead into their brains, he knew it would be the smartest thing to do right now.

Right now, he needed to get back to Bobby's house, ensure Sam was safe and that Gabriel was okay, and then he would wait. He would give his dad and Bobby a week to return safely. If not, then Dean knew what he needed to do.

Turning heel, Dean headed back towards the staircase intent on making it to the sewers. He couldn't leave via the front door, it wasn't safe enough. He had to escape through the back entrance, through the sewers and then accelerate the hell out of there in that sweet little Impala that was waiting for him.

Then he'll wait.

-x-

His heart thudded a heavy beat as he pulled up just outside the house. Turning the engine off, Dean roughly pushed the door open and jumped out of the car. Bobby's house looked relatively fine, but looks could be deceiving. Sprinting up the path, Dean tried to calm his nerves down, hoping for the best but knowing not to get his hopes up to high.

God, if those fuckers touched Sam...

Not wasting time with searching for his key, Dean kicked the door down and quickly scanned the area. Everything seemed to be in place, but he couldn't be sure, wouldn't allow himself to calm down until he saw—

"Sammy! Where are you? Sammy!" he called out, heart pumping furiously in his chest.

"Dean?" piped up the voice of his brother from the living room.

Relief hit Dean like a truck when he saw his brother's form, safe and sound. He stalked across the room and grabbed the front of Sam's shirt, pulling him into a fierce hug.

"God, I'm glad you're okay Sammy," he said, releasing his grip to get a good look at Sam, needing to make sure that he was okay, that every inch of him was fine and healthy.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" Sam asked, frowning slightly.

"The base got hit," Dean said shortly, running a hand through his hair. He felt Gabriel's stare from across the room, his wings flapping slightly from worry. "I'm okay, I don't know about dad or Bobby, but I'm sure they'll be fine—”

"And Cas?" Sam said, tilting his head as he looked behind Dean. "What about Cas?"

Dean watched as Gabriel slowly stood up, his body tight and hard with repressed fury. Sam winced as the atmosphere grew cold and thick with tension.

“Where's Castiel?" Gabriel asked, his voice tight and cold and oh god, he knows, of course he knows, he's a fucking angel, he probably knew before Dean even pulled up in the yard.

"We were trying to get out...to get away from them," Dean started, averting his eyes from Gabriel's piercing gaze. "They caught up to us. Government spies or maybe even the military, I don't know. They got us. They got Cas. I tried to stop them but—"

"Y-You mean...Cas is gone?" Sam asked brokenly. He couldn't believe it. His stomach had dropped when he heard that his dad and Bobby's whereabouts were currently unknown, but the fact that Castiel had been taken made him feel sick.

Gabriel blinked slowly, tilting his head to the side as he digested this information. 

Suddenly, his expression darkened and his wings flared out behind him, knocking over a lamp and several photo-frames. He didn't care and no one really noticed, not when there was an angry archangel standing before them.

"You lost Castiel?" he asked, his voice quiet and restrained, but Dean could taste the anger that seemed to drip off his words. Sam watched the exchange carefully, edging towards the safety of the kitchen as each second passed.

"Listen! I didn't mean to, alright? I was caught off guard! The bastards knocked me out, I never would have let them look at Cas if I had the chance, let alone touch him!" Dean retorted heatedly, hands clenched into frustrated fists.

"You say that, but he's still been taken!" Gabriel snapped back, the sound of crackling power filled the room and Sam flinched as a rumble of thunder echoed over the house.

"We can get him back though, right Dean?" he said hopefully. "I mean, we'll just waste time arguing about it, so why don't we move on and start figuring out how to get him back!"

Dean and Gabriel continued glaring at each other, and Sam feared that they had chosen to ignore him. He was scared for Castiel too, but he didn't want to go around pointing fingers and playing the blame game. He didn't want to lose anyone else.

Luckily, Gabriel's wings slowly folded behind him, the tension easing from his body as he sighed. His hands were still clenched though, and it had started raining outside.

"Sam's right. I'm still not happy with you," the angel said, eyes narrowing as he stared down at Dean. "But for once, I guess I'm not the most important thing around here right now. Castiel is, so let's go get him."

Sam sighed with relief, glad for the momentary peace.

Dean simply rolled his eyes and shook his head. "We can't go just yet," he said firmly, "we need to wait for dad and Bobby to get back, then we'll go find him." His words were spoken with a tone of finality, leaving no room for argument.

Gabriel's wings flared out slightly, his honey eyes burning to a sharp gold. "I'm so glad to see that you have your priorities straight kiddo," he said, his sarcasm making Sam flinch. "Your family is obviously more important right now, let's just leave Castiel waiting and hope that it's not too late!"

Sam watched as Dean reared himself for another fight, despair tearing at his heart.

"Will you two cut it out?" he said, cutting across Dean before his brother had the chance to spit something back. "Castiel _is_ family and we'll do anything for him! But Dean is right; we'll need dad and Bobby to help us out here. We won't be able to do it on our own."

"You have _me_!" Gabriel snapped back. "I'm far more powerful than anything your dad could create!"

"And what if you get caught? What if they get you?" Sam asked reasonably. "We already lost Cas, we don't need to lose another..."

Gabriel's eyes softened slightly, his left wing subconsciously reaching out to comfort Sam. Before it could touch him though, Gabriel thought better of it and folded it back against his body. He couldn't. Not right now.

"Alright," he sighed, throwing his hands up in the air dramatically. Sam would have smiled at his theatrics, but he caught Gabriel's sullen expression and the sadness in his eyes. He was hurting and badly. "We'll wait."

-x-

Four days later, a car pulled up into Bobby's yard.

The rush of relief almost made Dean light-headed, if it weren't for the fact that only one person was in that car. Bobby had come back alone. A cold weight settled in Dean's stomach, his heart stopping for a moment. He glanced over his shoulder to see Sam rise to his feet, a hopeful smile tugging at his lips as he stared back at Dean.

"Is it...?" he asked, and Dean really didn't know what to say. His eyes flickered over to Gabriel briefly, seeing the angel pale as he understood what was going on. The past four days haven't been easy for either of them, with Dean and Gabriel both avoiding each other like the plague to prevent any arguments that could upset Sam. However, Gabriel was now willing to put all that in the past, especially with certain current events arising. He nodded shortly at Dean before turning his attention to the youngest Winchester.

"Sammy, can I talk to you for a second?" he asked, tilting his head to the side and forcing a chirpy grin onto his lips. Sam furrowed his brows and shook his head.

"Can't it wait? Dad just got back," he said, glancing over at Dean for backup. Dean merely averted his eyes and continued to stare at Bobby's form through the window.

"Sorry kiddo, this conversation waits for no one," Gabriel stated and snapped his fingers.

Dean turned around and sighed when he saw that Sam and Gabriel had disappeared. The creaking floorboards above him told him that they were in Sam's room, and that Sam was probably pissed at Gabriel for using his angel-mojo on him.

Preparing himself for a hard conversation, Dean went to the kitchen and waited at the table. Upstairs had gone silent and the noise of the front door opening and closing was deafening to Dean's ears. Reaching into his pocket, he gripped the lone feather inside, stroking it softly. He had offered it up to Gabriel a couple of days ago, but the angel had refused it, saying that it would be best if Dean had it. Now it was his only connection to Castiel and it calmed him considerably. He could hear Bobby cursing under his breath as he made his way towards the kitchen. There was the familiar clanking sound of Bobby dropping a duffel-bag full of guns, alongside a disgruntled murmur when they inevitably fell out. The familiarity of the situation made Dean's eyes sting. Glancing down at the table, he tried to blink the tears away before they fell. 

His dad might not be dead, he might be somewhere else...he might not be dead, this could all just be a horrible dream and dammit Dean, this is not some fantasy, this is the real world, you know things are fucked, stop trying to hope for things that aren't real, aren't there—

"Dean?"

Bobby's voice startled Dean into looking up, eyes still watered but not as bad as before.

"Christ, I saw the Impala out there but I...I didn't think you had made it," Bobby's gruff voice made Dean's stomach churn horribly. The older man brought Dean into a tight, one-armed hug that last all of ten seconds. "I am damn glad you did though."

"Same. Sam's upstairs with Gabriel. Probably should leave them to it though," Dean said quietly. Bobby nodded, crossing the kitchen to reach the fridge. Dean watched him pull out a beer. He wanted to ask Bobby about his dad, but his tongue felt thick and heavy and his throat was clogged up by the lump that had formed there.

"Is he alright?" Bobby asked, taking the lid off his beer before having a long, hard swig.

"He's fine. Those bastards didn't come this way," Dean replied.

Bobby nodded, sitting down with a rough sigh. "Listen...I don't feel like bullshitting you on this, and you deserve to know the truth," he said. "Your dad...John is—"

"I know. As soon as I saw you pull up, I knew," Dean interrupted quickly. Bobby's mouth closed slowly, his eyes falling down to the table.

"I'm sorry Dean," he said quietly.

"It's not your fault," Dean replied, hesitantly slightly before adding, "they got Castiel. Those bastards took Cas from me. Knocked me out and ran off with him."

Bobby's grip on the beer tightened. "Those bastards," he muttered. "We'll get him back, no doubt about that. He's a strong angel, he'll take whatever they'll give and throw it right back in their faces. But we'll get them back."

"And make them pay. For what they did to dad and Cas," Dean added, standing up to glare out the window. Bobby watched him, his mind clouded with feelings of sorrow and regret.

"Whatever it takes," he replied, taking another drink from his bottle.

Dean nodded silently.

"Did anyone else make it?" he asked, stomach still twisting and churning.

Bobby took another deep swig from his bottle and roughly rubbed his beard. "Ellen made it. Tough girl managed to get herself out of there and took at least five of them down on her way. Everyone knows that when you knock a Harvelle woman down, you should expect her to jump back up and knock you into next week. She's at home making sure Jo is fine."

Dean sighed with relief. Of course Ellen would make it; Ellen could survive through anything.

"Anyone else?"

"Garth managed to squirm his ass outta there. Charlie took a couple down before escaping. Becky and Chuck too. I don't know about anyone else, I'll have to wait for them to get into contact first. But Jesus...Dean, your dad...he went and destroyed all of the data we had; years' worth of information gone just so those dirty bastards wouldn't get their hands on it. He's a damn hero for it and I'm sorry I couldn't do more to save him," Bobby said, his tone drifting into a mournful sigh as he took another swig from his beer.

Dean shook his head. "I-It wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself, he chose to do what he did, no one could've made him change his mind," he said, feeling the familiar pricks of tears in his eyes.

God, he was glad Sam was upstairs. He hoped Gabriel was breaking the news gently to him. The angel had trouble doing anything discreet or with subtly and Dean wondered if this would be one of those rare moments where the angel actually proved him wrong. 

Seeing Dean glance up towards ceiling made Bobby shake his head with sympathy.

"Go see your brother," he instructed gruffly, "he'll need you more than that damn angel right now, you hear?"

"Yes sir," Dean replied, "just try and get some sleep, alright Bobby?"

Bobby just snorted softly at Dean's words and shook his head at him. "I ain't some damn kid who needs to sleep all this off," he replied, tone softening when he saw the look in Dean's eyes. "But if it'll make you happy, I guess a little nap can't hurt."

"Thanks Bobby," Dean said, before turning towards the stairs to find Sam.

He made his way to the upper floor, wondering how he was going to confront Sam on this and whether he could really get the words out. Dean had just about reached Sam's door when it was slammed open, revealing his younger brother.

Sam's eyes were bloodshot and his bottom lip was quivering something awful.

Dean's heart fell through his stomach at the sight.

"Dean...i-is it true? Dad is...gone?" Sam asked, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Dean?"

"Yeah Sammy. It's uh, it's true," he replied gruffly, clearing his throat to dislodge the lump.

"Oh..."

Hearing Sam's voice come out so small and seeing his face crumple so badly broke Dean's heart. Swallowing roughly, the older Winchester strode over to his younger brother and pulled him in to a tight hug.

"You know we can't let him die in vain, right?" Dean choked out. "We have to finish this for him. We need to get Cas back and we need to destroy the bastards who thought that they could fuck over our family and get away with it. Okay?"

Sam trembled slightly before nodding mutely. "Y-Yeah...okay," he replied hesitantly. "But what about the b-body? We're gonna have a funeral for him, right?"

Dean blinked. Bobby said that the entire facility has been blown up, his dad right along with it. There would be no body, there probably wouldn't be anything distinguishable to use for a funeral. But if it would make Sam happy, then Dean would make sure that a damn funeral would happen.

"'Course we are Sammy," he murmured. "I'll get on it tomorrow, but tonight let's get some sleep, alright?"

Sam bit his lip, wavering slightly before he nodded. "Alright," he said, pulling away from his brother. Without a second glance, Sam padded back to his room, the door closing softly behind him.

Dean hesitated outside Sam's room for a second, before sensing Gabriel's presence behind him. He didn't know when the angel had appeared, or when he had even left Sam's room, but Dean found that he was too tired to care. He turned to face the angel, a small frown tugging at his lips.

"Look over him for me, alright," he said, choosing to not bother asking Gabriel to do so, but instead instructing him to do it. Gabriel didn't seem bothered by his hard tone anyway; he simply raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"Of course," he said, before disappearing with a soft flap of his wings.

Dean was left standing there in the silent hallway. Bobby was most likely asleep at his desk, and he could hear the soft murmurings coming from Sam's room. He felt a sharp pain deep in his heart, a pain that longed for his own angel to come back and for his dad to be alive and well.

But this was life, and life was too unfair for that shit to happen.

Dean just wished that life would give him a damn break for once.


End file.
